Leading up to Tisha B'Av there has been a lot of talk about the future. What life would be like if we got the Third Beis HaMikdash, what life would be like under the rule of Mashiach, etc. Would we really want to live such lives. Do we know what to expect. Etc.
A number of blogs wrote about it, Mishpacha magazine wrote about it, Ynet ran an article about it, and more.
Now, as we head into Tisha B'Av, as our annual mourning ritual, much of which is just purely ritual for many of us without any actual understanding of what life was like back then and what life would be like if we got it back, comes to the climax of reading Eicha and the kinos, I feel like adding my two cents.
I don't know if life would be better or worse under Mashiach's rule. Would there be more infighting or less (at least initially)? I have no idea what life will be like then, and I have no idea if we will then prefer the life from before or the life then.
I don't even consider it worthy of discussion.
Any discussion on what life will be like under the future rule of Mashiach and/or the Temple, is based purely on speculation. We have no idea what life will be like then, and therefore have nothing but guesses to base any opinion on whether it will be good or bad, better or worse.
Even among the commentaries there are so many opinions as to what will be, and we really have no way of knowing. I avoid "What If" questions like the plague, because it is pure speculation, and trying to predict the future is also pure speculation with no basis provided for any possible opinion.
I don't know what it will be like in the time of Mashiach. I was raised to believe that everything will be better, and that is good enough for me. What will actually be? I have no idea. Will we have steak 3 times a week? Will we work for a living? Will we have the energy and level fo concentration to learn Torah all day? Will we disband all secular education facilities? Will the yeshiva system be changed?
I have no idea what will be. And it doesn't matter. We will deal with that when the time comes. We'll cross that bridge when we get to it. I believe it will be better, but in what way I have no idea. And t really does not matter to me, nor does it trouble me to worry about.
Rabbi Gidon Rothstein wrote a really interesting book about a murder that takes place in a setting where the temple has been rebuilt. It's interesting to see his description of a modern society with ancient laws and a temple.
ReplyDeletePerhaps ironically, it seems that those who are least enthusiastic are often those who are the most vocal in claiming how _others_ won't behave properly... as though their own raison d'être is not based on divisiveness, criticism, and arrogance.
ReplyDeleteAssuming you (well, not you, per se) respect, value, and agree with Chaza"l, if you see that the classical depictions of Moshiach's times do not correspond with your definition of an ideal time, perhaps this would be a good opportunity to reflect on how much of your weltanschauung is based on Torah sources and how much on modern culture or other influences...
Cf. the old saw about gan eden and geheneom being the same thing: a long shiur.
Mikeage,
ReplyDeleteAnd how much of what is considered "Daas Torah" today is actually in line with what Chazal taught.
It never ceases to amaze me how you will defend anything as long as it wears a black hat or has a superiority complex.
Huh?
ReplyDeleteWhat are you talking about?
And regardless of how you feel about today's Rabbis (although many of them don't wear black hats or have superiority complexes (which is more than I can say for some commentators...)), perhaps you can help me with something.
Where in my comment did you find the word "Rabbi"? Did you see the word 'Chaza"l'? Do you know who that refers to?
And as long as you're searching, please find comments of mine which justify your allegation. I will remind you that I do not daven at BTYA (if you must know, I daven at Ohr Shalom; does RCS count as black hat or having a superiority complex?)
I'll wait.
I'll be waiting.
(not G)
ReplyDeleteI agree with you. This is what I thought when I read DovBear's post on the subject. Mashiah-time is by definition utopia. Therefore casting it as a Haredo-Stalinist-Gehinom (as suggested by the commenters there) is really not what it is about. It is about everyone having their own ideal reality dream and working towards it.
Of course you could say that in the yemot hamashiah one and only of these utopic visions can be correct. However as you say, lets cross that bridge when we get to it.
In the meantime keep working for that utopia. Which one? Yours.
what will be in moshiach times?
ReplyDeleteThe first thing i can say is that the present parasitic way of living will stop.
It will be similar to the jews in the desert. the manna will fall in some way and like then those who didnt deserve it will have a hard time getting it.
right and wrong will be properly deliniated. there wont be any problem with what it is.
the idea of the temple is not just to kill animals to be able to burn them or eat them. there are great kabalistic reasons for all of them which i dont claim to understand and dont believe those who say they do.
Like it says, in heaven the world is the opposite those who are down here are up there. it will be like heaven, here on earth then and people will get the surprise of their life of who is really worthy.
it says he will come on a donkey. no he wont be arriving in a cavalcade of cadillacs. he most likely similar to moses will be totally unknown beforehand.
it says he will be born on 9th of
av i think shabai zvi was. and there are special things we do to remember this.
Will there be a shift key?
ReplyDelete